Hurry Up Already

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:25 

Walking at someone else’s pace can be…agonizing. Frustrating. Infuriating. How would you describe it? A few years before my mom passed, when her decline had already started, we went to the mall. She could walk but she could not walk at a “normal” pace. I was frustrated at how slowly we were moving. At some point in our mall adventure our Father showed me my impatience. I was embarrassed. I confessed. Breathed deeply. And embraced my mom’s pace! But it was not easy. 

Someone else’s pace.  

What about driving? How would you describe being behind someone who is not going as fast as you want to go? I am sure you have handled these moments in exemplary ways!  

Following someone else’s pace… 

Marriage? How easily do you cede your pace to your spouse’s?  

One of the great frustrations in living a Spirit-filled, Trinitarian LIFE, is the struggle to walk at the Spirit’s pace! Imposing our pace on the Holy Spirit is a major reason we struggle to hear from Him or to have robust stories of His work.  

The Apostle Paul trains his disciples in Galatians 5 to live Spirit-filled lives, living Spirit-led pace. Feel the Holy Spirit pace of Galatians 5:25, “If we live by the Spirit let us also walk by the Spirit.” How pervasive is the Holy Spirit supposed to be in one’s life? What role is the Holy Spirit supposed to have? Who leads? Who determines pace?  

According to the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit leads, and He leads according to His pace. The one seeking to live Spirit-led regularly surrenders to the Spirit’s pace and leading. 

You can see the Spirit’s pace at work in Paul’s missionary journeys. Acts 18:1-17 Paul stays in Corinth for a year and a half. In Acts 19:1-41, he stays in Ephesus for two years. Acts 20:2-3, Paul stays in Greece for three months. How does Paul know where to go and for how long to stay? The pace of the Holy Spirit.  

Paul does not get in front of, or lag behind, the Holy Spirit. And his life is filled with the Spirit’s work.  

At what pace do you live your life? How hard is walking in someone else’s pace for you? The Holy Spirit’s invitation is to relax back into Him and walk with Him. He works. He moves. He is effective. He is strategic. He is powerful. He is love. He is good. He is healing. He is LIFE. He is truth. He is excellence. He is not lazy. He is not exhausted.  

But He walks at His own pace. 

And you will never get Him to budge so that He walks at your pace.  

Our world moves fast and feels like the pace quickens daily. What was here and now yesterday is too slow today. And so many run the world’s pace. To disengage can feel like you are going to fail. After all, if you don’t keep up you are falling behind and getting stepped over is just a matter of time.  

But the pace of the Holy Spirit is not of this world. Sometimes His pace is quick – we have to go. Sometimes His pace is slow – we just need to sit. The actual speed, or slowness, of His pace is secondary to the truth that it is His pace and not ours.  

But to even get to a place where one is confident in the Spirit’s leading means one has awakened to supernatural truth; to the Person of the Spirit; to His ability to guide; and to one’s need to surrender. Each of these can be challenging. As you consider embracing Holy Spirit speed, confess your struggle to our Father. Share your want to lead, to run, to do what you want at your own speed. Ask Him to teach you, to show you the wisdom of following. THANKFULLY, He is gracious and patient! 

The Holy Spirit has so much LIFE for you. Freely. Free flowing. Abundant. Rivers full. LIFE. His invitation to you is the same that it has been from the beginning,  

“Come and walk with Me.”